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Купуйте доступ до fireTMS та отримуйте транспортну біржу fireXgo безкоштовно на весь 2025 рік - зв'яжіться з нами!
Another challenging year for the transport, freight forwarding and logistics industry has passed. It was marked not only by tackling the crisis, but also seeking competitive advantages through investment in modern solutions. What does 2025 hold for transport and freight forwarding? We gathered important information and forecasts on the European transport market to help you brace yourself for running your business in the coming months.
For several years now, the European transport, freight forwarding and logistics industry has been experiencing problems caused largely by the unstable economic situation, an increase in the prices of goods and services, and political tensions. In addition, companies are still recovering from the e-commerce boom that started due to lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic in the years 2020-2022, as well as the subsequent slump in consumption related to a sharp increase in inflation in 2023. The breakthrough year was supposed to be 2024, but unfortunately the situation did not improve. So what is the situation on the transport market in Europe at the beginning of 2025?
The European economy still cannot get back on track due to the political situation and the consequent decline in exports of major EU countries, especially Germany. Eurostat estimates for the third quarter of 2024, published at the end of January 2025, show that economic growth during that period was 0.9% in the euro area and 1.0% in the EU as a whole. However, the problem is the condition of the largest EU economy, that is Germany, which contracted by 0.3% in the third quarter. The only large country in the Community that has seen a significant increase in GDP, which grew by 3.3%, is Spain. Such information makes us look at forecasts for 2025 with caution.
The transport, freight forwarding and logistics industry is closely linked to trading in goods, which means that it is heavily influenced by GDP growth rates, and vice versa – economic growth is highly dependent on transport. Importantly, that the reduction in retail sales in the years 2020-2022 allowed transport companies to spread their wings, whereas the 2023 inflation rate and the increase in operating costs (especially fuel and tolls) got the industry into trouble. Unfortunately, the year 2024, which was supposed to bring about a big rebound, failed to meet expectations – according to Transport Intelligence estimates, the value of the road transport sector in Europe was 428.2 billion euros, which means it increased by only 0.9% compared with 2023.
However, the report prepared by TI provides some optimism with regard the situation on the transport market in Europe in 2025. The value of this sector is expected to increase by 2% compared with 2024 and reach 436.9 billion euros. Analysts base their forecast on the economic situation that is improving (slowly, but still improving), the fact that the post-COVID redevelopment phase in the industry is drawing to a close, and a lower inflation growth rate (the Eurozone average is expected to be 2.1% in 2025).
The most serious problem for the industry, besides the unstable economic situation, is a large number of vacancies. However, while there are no indications that autonomous trucks will hit the roads in the near future and the recruitment of drivers is ongoing, when it comes to the organisation of drivers’ work and other tasks in transport companies, it is possible to increasingly rely on modern solutions that allow us to automate many business processes.
According to a report of December 2024 prepared by the International Road Transport Union, there was a shortage of almost 500 thousand drivers in the EU transport market, which accounted for as much as 12.2% of FTEs. This is a big number and just as big a problem for the transport industry. It is also worth mentioning that drivers are an occupational group with a very high average age, which according to data ranges between 45 and 50 years.
In addition, the nature of working behind the wheel, which involves physical and mental stresses, means that fewer and fewer people entering the labour market are choosing to become drivers. While it is true that recent years have brought some legal changes, for example in February 2024 the European Parliament adopted a directive that lowered the minimum age for professional drivers to 18, this is still a drop in the bucket and a solution that will take years. And transport companies need to look for ways out of this situation now.
Due to the need to optimise work, there is a strong trend that drives the computerisation of companies in the European transport market. Old and simple solutions, based on spreadsheets and paper documentation, do not allow ongoing control of drivers’ workload and vehicle use. What comes to the rescue are transport management systems, which make it easier to develop a work schedule for drivers and vehicles. In this way, it is possible to better plan work, even with staff shortages.
Systems such as fireTMS also reduce the workload of office employees, including freight forwarders, by automating tedious tasks, for example documentation processing, transport route planning, order creation and invoicing. In this way, the organisation of work in a company can be adapted so as to meet the changing demand for transport and forwarding services, as well as fitted into a new model of flexible supply chains.
In view of the problems in the transport, freight forwarding and logistics industry, a way to optimise costs in 2025 is also investing in advanced GPS technology. Such solutions still remind people of simple devices that transmit the position of a vehicle on the road. But modern telematic solutions are capable of so much more – from ongoing transmission of the exact vehicle location, to providing information on the driving style, brake wear, engine performance and fuel consumption. Consequently, it is possible to estimate when the vehicle will need to be repaired, determine how the driver can improve their driving technique, and see how accurately the driver is following the planned route.
Together with the features of the TMS system, data transmitted by GPS trackers allows ongoing transport control and a quick response in case of any irregularities. It is worth mentioning that fireTMS has the Actual Routes function, which makes it possible to set the width of the driving corridor and alert the forwarding agent when the driver goes off the planned route.
In 2025, the role of less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping is expected to further increase at the expense of full-truckload (FTL) shipping. This is due to a trend towards more flexible supply chains in the transport market, which includes reducing the role of large warehouses, for example due to cross-docking. On the one hand, it is an opportunity for the industry to overcome the crisis, but on the other it is a threat. LTL shipping means that a trip needs to include several loading and unloading locations. Most often without any goods loaded for the return journey.
Limited loading capacity at the destination is a major problem, as this can result in empty miles on the return trip, which reduces the revenues of transport companies. This is why the trend towards reducing empty miles and finding orders along the way will be so important in 2025.
The answer to the challenge of a growing role of LTL shipping is further computerisation of transport. Modern TMS systems make it possible to effectively manage transport, for example allowing you to develop accurate vehicle schedules and better match them to a given order. Systems such as fireTMS also help you plan optimal routes and then monitor vehicles to reduce transport costs. Another interesting option is fireTMS truckMatching, which allows you to quickly simulate a route whenever additional loading is required during transport. You can also see how freight costs will change and how much you can earn when you accept a given order.
It is also a good idea to use transport exchanges, where you can find additional load orders close to the transport route you have already planned. An interesting solution is fireXgo, a freight exchange integrated with fireTMS, which allows you to quickly and easily find orders and carriers. This can significantly improve route planning and the search for freight orders.
The above-mentioned trends will certainly affect how companies operate in the transport market in Europe. In addition to investing in IT and telematic solutions, as well as the need to change the organisation of work, it is certainly worth mentioning the economic situation and the wait for good news on GDP growth. There are also legal changes and growing electromobility in European Union member states. These changes, however, are quite slow, and their pace varies considerably across the Community.
Would you like to see how you can adapt your business to the changes that 2025 will bring? Start a free 14-day trial of fireTMS. Sign up and discover the features of a modern transport management system.
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fireTMS team
The article was written by the fireTMS team, based on their knowledge, experience and awareness of the TSL industry.
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